Kisumu county government wants the national government to expedite the construction of the stalled Sh20 billion Koru-Soin dam.
The multi-purpose dam, whose construction was planned in the early 1980s, is expected to help end water shortages in Kericho and Kisumu counties.
Water executive Samuel Orimba said the dam is also meant to control perennial floods in the lower Nyando as well as generate hydroelectric power.
"We are appealing to the national government to speed up the construction process to address the biting water problem in the regions," he said.
The dam, he said will massively improve the lives of residents through agriculture, industrialisation among others.
Early February, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich promised to fast-track the allocation of money for construction of the dam.
In 2016, the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation MD Andrew Wanyonyi said the building of the dam was to start in October of that year.
The project, funded by the World Bank in partnership with government, was to take up 326 parcels of land - 110 in Kericho and 206 in Kisumu, totalling 2,500 acres.
The parcels to be acquired had already been published in the Kenya Gazette. Two learning institutions and several markets were to be moved.
Out of the allocated funds, Sh18 billion was to be pumped into the project, Sh2 billion for compensation.
Wanyonyi said they had already disbursed Sh470 million to the National Land Commission to start compensating affected families.
The delayed 93.7 million cubic metre-dam was to be situated along River Nyando, five kilometres upstream from Muhoroni town.
The proposed position for embankment is the slopes of Got Alila Hill in Muhoroni and slopes of Koitatui Hill in Soin.
According to the plan, the treated water was to flow by gravity. There will a treatment plant of 35.5m cubic metres.
Areas to be supplied include Muhoroni, Koitaburot, Koru, Chemelil, Awasi, Miwani, Ahero, Rabuor, Riat Technical College, and Mamboleo.
Kisumu city, Ahero, Chemelil, Miwani and Awasi towns will be the major beneficiaries. A water tank of 5,000 cubic metres was to be Muhoroni, Awasi and two similar tanks in Koru.